Hey Giants fans, how about those trade-deadline deals? 

In 10 games with Carlos Beltran, the Giants are 2-8. They’ve scored an aggregate 23 runs—eight in one game, 15 in the other nine combined. 

Not exactly the energy boost GM Brian Sabean had hoped for.   

Based on Friday night’s scrum with the Phillies, the Giants are clearly ready for a special pay-per-view MLB UFC smackdown (maybe it could supplement their ongoing Showtime series, The Season).

I’ll bet the Giants’ crack marketing department is all over it.

Meanwhile, Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy shuffle the deck, hoping to uncover (and recover) some 2010 magic.

Jonathan Sanchez is back in the rotation. Barry Zito has gone back to the disabled list.

Mark DeRosa has been activated. Brandon Belt has been optioned to Fresno.

This season is far from lost—being tied for first place with 48 games to play isn’t reason to panic—but doesn’t it seem as if the Good Ship Giants has stalled?

From this writer’s outside-in view, things are in danger of getting even worse. Here are five obstacles standing in the way of a Giants NL West title repeat. 

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